cower Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb crouch or curl up
    huddle.
    • They huddled outside in the rain
  2. verb show submission or fear
    fawn; crawl; grovel; cringe; creep.

WordNet

Cow"er intransitive verb
Etymology
Cf. Icel. kera to doze, liequiet, Sw. kura, Dan. kure, G. kauern to cower, W. cwrian.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Cowered present participle & verbal noun Cowering
Definitions
  1. To stoop by bending the knees; to crouch; to squat; hence, to quail; to sink through fear.
    Our dame sits cowering o'er a kitchen fire. Dryden.
    Like falcons, cowering on the nest. Goldsmith.
Cow"er transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cherish with care. Obs.

Webster 1913